• True public service • Speak out against timeshares • Vacation rental law is unfair • Mokulele offers another choice True public service Kudos to Councilmember Tim Bynum. Imagine my surprise in meeting Tim at Po‘ipu Beach on Jan. 17.
• True public service
• Speak out against timeshares
• Vacation rental law is unfair
• Mokulele offers another choice
True public service
Kudos to Councilmember Tim Bynum. Imagine my surprise in meeting Tim at Po‘ipu Beach on Jan. 17.
He had no surf board, no beach attire, only a camera and was carefully studying the erosion of the beach as well as expressing concern about the lack of drainage of the parking lot which becomes a lake with every severe storm.
Tim, my thanks to you for expressing an interest in the South Shore. When is the last time (if there even was a last time) that one saw a councilmember actually show up on their own time to see what is happening on one of the busiest tourist attractions on Kaua‘i?
Tim, you might set a precedent.
• Monroe Richman, Koloa
Speak out against timeshares
More timeshares in Princeville? If Kaua‘i government cares about Kaua‘i, the answer must be no.
Is anybody aware that the Princeville Corporation, through two of its companies, is asking the County Planning Commission next Tuesday to approve a rezoning petition to build a 310-unit timeshare resort on land surrounded by the Prince Golf Course? This land is now zoned and planned for single-family residences, and needs to stay that way.
More timeshare units, along with other resort facilities in Princeville, will not only adversely impact our North Shore community, but the entire island.
Typical timeshare visitors come with families and/or friends, usually more than four people per unit, and often drive more than one vehicle. Every week this would add hundreds more vehicles and more than 1,200 people wanting to see every corner of our paradise in just six days.
Imagine trying to get around the North Shore, and through Kapa’a, with the added traffic congestion, fight the shoppers at Foodland, and find parking at the beaches.
Owners of an equal number of single-family homes won’t have a fraction of the negative impact on Princeville’s infrastructure and services.
The Princeville Corp. is attempting to get this rezone petition approved under the radar of public scrutiny. We urge everyone who cares about the way of life on Kaua‘i to attend the Planning Commission hearing next Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at the Lihu‘e Civic Center to express your feelings about this attempt to push more timeshare units on Kaua‘i.
We don’t need them. We don’t want them. We need to tell our government how we feel.
• Ken and Claudia Bachman
Princeville
Vacation rental law is unfair
The County Council has tried to address a very difficult but necessary issue by proposing an amendment for the grandfathering of existing ag land vacation rentals. (“Following ag land vacation rental law,” Letters, Jan. 20)
It is not just ag land rentals that were considered illegal. All vacation rentals out of the visitor destination areas were illegal, but the bill only allowed the grandfathering of the rentals on residential lands outside of the VDAs.
This was clearly selective enforcement and so it was really unfair to not grandfather in the ag land vacation rentals while allowing places like Ha‘ena to continue.
In order to be able to get a permit though, people needed to have been in operation before the original bill was even passed. The McCalls would not have made the deadline to operate regardless of whether ag lands get amnesty or not.
There is no doubt that vacation rentals and hotel room accommodations of all kinds need to be permitted and regulated. Ag land zoning is under review for reclassification by the state and county.
It is quite probable in a few years that there will be new ag zoning that allows the use of ag lands for eco-tourism bed and breakfasts or retreat center accommodations.
For that reason, some ag lands will be reclassified as rural and will allow for uses other than strict agriculture. The McCalls may benefit in the future when these new ag classifications are adopted.
Because these new zoning areas are being studied at this time, it is most fair and just to allow the existing ag vacation rentals to continue until the study is complete.
The original passage of the bill denying the grandfathering of rentals on ag land but allowing others out of the VDAs is clearly unfair, premature and unjust.
Many of the small organic farmers on the island on small ag land parcels will not be able to make ends meet just doing agriculture so it is important for our councilmembers to support the amendment to the bill and support the farmers and residents in these tough economic times.
These folks have been paying their taxes, growing food, and providing for a growing number of tourists who want to vacation on rural farms. Places like Italy and New Zealand praise small B&B units on agriculture with keeping the land rural and out of the hands of big agro-farming businesses.
• Michaelle Edwards, Hanalei
Mokulele offers another choice
I just wanted tell everyone about the wonderful experience I had flying Mokulele Airlines. I traveled during the holidays from here to Kona and we all know how it can be a two-hour escapade.
First and foremost, I’d like to give much credit to the staff. On all three islands, they were so full of aloha and at times seemed extra out-of-the-ordinary nice. I came to the realization that they were proud and grateful to be employed again (about 90 percent were former Aloha Airlines employees).
I personally require special accommodation when flying and again ran into absolutely no problem. Everyone made my commute very comfortable and dignified. The planes were immaculate and the in-flight service and ground crew were full of aloha.
The unfortunate thing I noticed was that the planes weren’t as full as they should or could have been. I’d just like my ‘ohana here on beautiful Kaua‘i to really give them a chance when they book their next flight.
I do realize our local style when it comes to loyalty, especially to our more established airline, Hawaiian. I have absolutely no problem with Hawaiian, but I do want to remind people of two important factors:
• If Mokulele doesn’t see a pick-up in business, they’ll be forced to cut down flights, or worse, shut down completely.
• Before Mokulele took flight, Hawaiian (and go!) were monopolizing the air and setting the price tag for our island-hopping, thus making it very difficult for us, the locals, to afford inter-island tickets by forcing us to pay outrageous prices.
My main point is the next time we all go to book our flights, give the new guys a chance so we can keep the prices down and the availability of more flights open.
• Nalani Reynolds, Kapa‘a
